IT News
Imphal, April 3:
The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) outrightly rejected the ploy of the Government of India (GOI) to please some few sections of the North-Eastern people by lifting the draconian Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act 1958 from some pockets of the region while still allowing the inhumane Act to be in operation in almost all parts of the Naga homeland.
“While there is no denying that areas falling under 15 police stations in the state of Nagaland is set to benefit from the above stated policy of the GOI, the Federation is appalled that a major chunk of the Naga homeland spread across the four Indian States of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur and Nagaland are yet again classified as Disturbed Areas”, a statement of the Federation said..
The statement said, “It escapes the reasoning of the Federation as to what yardsticks were used to lift the Act from certain areas of the NE region as police stations within the Naga homeland which have almost perfect law and order record(s) thereby projecting a relatively peaceful and tranquil environment are completely left out”.
This step of the GOI is rubbing more salt into the wounds of the Naga people who are still reeling under the shock of the Oting incidents wherein 14 innocent Naga souls were mercilessly massacred by the Indian armed forces in a botched military operation. The Federation is, thereby, left to wonder as to whether the GOI has any regard or respect for the lives, emotions and sentiments of the Naga people, the NSF continues.
The Federation reiterate its earlier stand that the Naga people does not merit the Act which has empowered the Indian military and para Medical war machines with unlimited powers to extend their evil claws and judicial impunity to arrest, torture, kill and to commit everything inhuman. Further, The Federation vehemently denounced the very oppressive, repressive and inhuman instrument being used by the GOI to further their colonial mindset of subjugating and dividing the Naga people.
The Federation demanded to ensure that AFSPA is repealed by the GOI or completely lifted from the entire Naga Homeland. Towards achieving this end, the Federation shall be undertaking a series of democratic agitation(s) in consonance with the collective aspiration of the Naga people, it added.
The Federation also condemns act of armed forces high handedness at Chasa village of Tirap district, Arunachal Pradesh wherein two young Naga youths NokphuaWangpan and RamwangWangsu, while they were returning from the river after fishing, were critically injured when 12 Para Special Forces fired upon without any warning whatsoever. Such acts of the Indian Armed forces trampling upon the dignity, existence, freedom and happiness of the Naga people without any remorse under the protection of AFSPA cannot be accepted by the Federation in particular and the Naga people in general. The Federation demands that justice is delivered to these innocent victims by awarding befitting punishments to these trigger-happy Armed forces personnel. Justice should be delivered at the earliest.
The Federation would like to remind the Naga people to refrain from extending any sort of co-operation towards the Indian Armed Forces or para-military forces until AFSPA is repealed or completely lifted from the Naga homeland.
